Manson guitars - tell me what you know

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Looking for something Floyd-equipped and a little bit different from the rash of super strats, and stumbled onto Manson but I cannot find much about by way of reviews or specs.
Anyone able to help out? I'd like to know if the neck shape is close to the modern C shape on my USA Strat and is the sustainiac pickups are (a) worth the extra and (b) controllable - can you wind down the endless sustain when you don't need it?

https://www.mansonguitarworks.com/index.cfm/product/ma-evo-t-floyd-rose-2019-376

Thanks in advance.
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Still learning... 
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Comments

  • What - no one has a Manson guitar? I'm shocked and more than a little disappointed in your lot <space where a finger wagging emoji would be if I knew how to do it> 
    _______________________________________________
    Still learning... 
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  • robgilmorobgilmo Frets: 3359
    Ive got a Manson case for my epi, its Ok'ish.
    A Deuce , a Tele and a cup of tea.
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  • robgilmorobgilmo Frets: 3359
    Ive got a Manson case for my epi, its Ok'ish.
    A Deuce , a Tele and a cup of tea.
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  • blobbblobb Frets: 2914
    I've got a Manson (well, 2), but not the modern ones. One thing I can say is that he makes brilliant guitars. Why not ask the guitar works direct about neck profile and options?

    If you just want to know if they're any good: Yes.
    Feelin' Reelin' & Squeelin'
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  • ThorpyFXThorpyFX Frets: 6090
    tFB Trader
    What - no one has a Manson guitar? I'm shocked and more than a little disappointed in your lot <space where a finger wagging emoji would be if I knew how to do it> 
    I have one in the office/studio at the moment . It’s one of the nicest guitars I have played  and is my go to guitar for playing heavier music.... impeccable finish, ace neck carve, light and feels badass. 
    Adrian Thorpe MBE | Owner of ThorpyFx Ltd | Email: thorpy@thorpyfx.com | Twitter: @ThorpyFx | Facebook: ThorpyFx Ltd | Website: www.thorpyfx.com
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  • AlexCAlexC Frets: 2396
    Isn’t Matt Bellamy a member on here? Ask him.
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11413
    I'm not an expert on them, but I think they tend to have quite flat fingerboards and shallow necks.  Not to my taste, but others like that.
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  • Yeah man, tried a couple and TLDR: they're great.

    As far as the sustainiac goes, have a play of a few schecter sun valley FR S guitars and see how much use you get out of it.  I find the harmonic mode really useful (though I don't own one) as it would allow me to get the harmonics I like, without the noise of the gain.  If you're writing your own stuff, I'd have one lying arround if you can justify it, you'll find it slipping in to your sound I'm sure.

    As for neck profiles, if you're looking at a custom shop, you can get whatever I guess, from a wizard to 50s baseball bat necks...  If you're looking at a standard MA series (I'm guessing the evo Floyd maybe?) then I think the necks are just a bit more strat like that a wizard neck, as in not quite as flat and a bit rounder, don't hold me to it though!

    If you don't like the feel of the necks, if you ask nicely they might be able to charge you for an extra neck and just swap it over...!

    Best thing to do would be send them an email though, Hugh seems a nice guy and he seems the kinda person that would have a friendly helpful team....  they're luthiers, they're gonna have an enjoyment working with guitars so if you have the money, I'm sure they can help you out.. ;)

    Again though, if it's super strat shredding Floyd equipped sustainiac madness, check out the schecter sun valley FR S, they have tons of funky colours or just yer plain white or black; deal at £800 too

    https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/schecter-sun-valley-super-shredder-s-wht-with-sustainiac?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&gclid=CjwKCAjwkenqBRBgEiwA-bZVtmABSXkYcWq_LV6zPLNDTO_8RY-c4HUK7QcfyWb0gqOXb0dfW1SBvBoCNaQQAvD_BwE


    Good luck, let us know if you end up with one!
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  • blobbblobb Frets: 2914
    crunchman said:
    I'm not an expert on them, but I think they tend to have quite flat fingerboards and shallow necks.  Not to my taste, but others like that.
    Ironic. I've not tried the new models but from what I understand Hugh had a bit of a reputation for extreme radius fingerboards. Certainly my earlier Merlin is flat but the second one has the most ridiculous curve to it. It takes some getting used to but when you get it you can sort of see why he believed in the benefits. That's the sort of guitar maker he is. If that's any help to OP i.e. I'm sure if you wanted an extreme radius then Manson is the place to go.
    Feelin' Reelin' & Squeelin'
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  • HenrytwangHenrytwang Frets: 470
    AlexC said:
    Isn’t Matt Bellamy a member on here? Ask him.
    Doesn’t he now own the Manson guitar manufacturing set up?
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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 9984
    tFB Trader
    blobb said:
    I've got a Manson (well, 2), but not the modern ones. One thing I can say is that he makes brilliant guitars. Why not ask the guitar works direct about neck profile and options?

    If you just want to know if they're any good: Yes.
    I had the same Manson as you (in your sig) .... as we've discussed before ... it was my main gigging guitar for a long time. Like you, not tried the modern ones, but the old ones were bloody amazing.
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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  • joeyowenjoeyowen Frets: 4025
    My friend had a custom order from them about 5 years ago. It cost a fair bit, but it is stunning. One of the best guitars I've ever played. I make an effort to play it every time I go over 
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  • I've only heard good things about the guitars but despite going to Mansons quite a lot in its relatively early days, I don't think I ever played one of Hugh's guitars.

    I do have a Sustainiac in my Charvel though. You can turn the sustain mode off and then it functions like a normal (active) pickup. I've been pleasantly surprised by how good it sounds as a regular pickup. It's a sound I use a lot. You can set it to sound more like a humbucker or a single coil. I have the humbucker mode on permanently, but you can also wire that to a switch.

    I find the harmonic mode really cool; for me that's the point of the unit. But yeah, it's a cool thing. I have no regrets about getting it.
    My YouTube channel, Half Speed Solos: classic guitar solos demonstrated at half speed with scrolling tab and no waffle.
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  • blobbblobb Frets: 2914
    blobb said:
    I've got a Manson (well, 2), but not the modern ones. One thing I can say is that he makes brilliant guitars. Why not ask the guitar works direct about neck profile and options?

    If you just want to know if they're any good: Yes.
    I had the same Manson as you (in your sig) .... as we've discussed before ... it was my main gigging guitar for a long time. Like you, not tried the modern ones, but the old ones were bloody amazing.
     So good I bought another one.
    Feelin' Reelin' & Squeelin'
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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 9984
    tFB Trader
    blobb said:
    blobb said:
    I've got a Manson (well, 2), but not the modern ones. One thing I can say is that he makes brilliant guitars. Why not ask the guitar works direct about neck profile and options?

    If you just want to know if they're any good: Yes.
    I had the same Manson as you (in your sig) .... as we've discussed before ... it was my main gigging guitar for a long time. Like you, not tried the modern ones, but the old ones were bloody amazing.
     So good I bought another one.
    Wow that's an extreme fingerboard radius! My old one was like your #1. Like the body curves on your 'new' one mind. One day I will find another Merlin, as out of all the guitars I've bought and sold over the years I miss that one most. 
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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  • blobbblobb Frets: 2914
    Yeah, it's nuts. As soon as you pick it up you think "I hate this'. The after a while you think 'actually, I was wrong this idea really works'. Then you go back to #1 and think 'this flat board is all wrong, it's like playing a classical guitar. I hate this'. So there you go, the artist (or Luthier in this case) educates the critic (amateur hokey guitar wannabee).

    #2 is far superior to #1, if you can imagine that. Just really want to find out what all the electrics do. According to Hugh, there's a possibility that it's the first guitar he built with on board effects. A one off that he remembers making, I just need to get it down to Exeter for him to look at. Would be a shame to rip the circuit out.
    Feelin' Reelin' & Squeelin'
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  • AlexCAlexC Frets: 2396
    AlexC said:
    Isn’t Matt Bellamy a member on here? Ask him.
    Doesn’t he now own the Manson guitar manufacturing set up?
    Yes he does.
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  • stonevibestonevibe Frets: 7082
    My friend Tim Stark builds a lot of the Mansons guitars and he worked with Seth Bacchus and Hugh Manson for years. So he builds a pretty mean guitar.

    I'm lucky, as the store is near me, so I can go play them whenever really. You should possibly take a trip to Exeter and check them out.


    Win a Cort G250 SE Guitar in our Guitar Bomb Free UK Giveaway 


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  • JayGeeJayGee Frets: 1254
    blobb said:
    blobb said:
    I've got a Manson (well, 2), but not the modern ones. One thing I can say is that he makes brilliant guitars. Why not ask the guitar works direct about neck profile and options?

    If you just want to know if they're any good: Yes.
    I had the same Manson as you (in your sig) .... as we've discussed before ... it was my main gigging guitar for a long time. Like you, not tried the modern ones, but the old ones were bloody amazing.
     So good I bought another one.
    Wow that's an extreme fingerboard radius! My old one was like your #1. Like the body curves on your 'new' one mind. One day I will find another Merlin, as out of all the guitars I've bought and sold over the years I miss that one most. 
    When you say “extreme”, are we talking vintage Fender (7.25”) or something even tighter?

    Personally I love 7.25 for playing chords up towards the headstock end but acknowledge the issues with bending at the other end, and I’ve always wondered why nobody seems to do a compound/conical radius board that goes from 7.25 to (say) 9.5-ish but all the compound radius boards I’ve seen are at the flatter end of the scale.

    Is there some geometrical reason why compound radius doesn’t work for tighter radii?
    Don't ask me, I just play the damned thing...
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  • JayGee said:
    blobb said:
    blobb said:
    I've got a Manson (well, 2), but not the modern ones. One thing I can say is that he makes brilliant guitars. Why not ask the guitar works direct about neck profile and options?

    If you just want to know if they're any good: Yes.
    I had the same Manson as you (in your sig) .... as we've discussed before ... it was my main gigging guitar for a long time. Like you, not tried the modern ones, but the old ones were bloody amazing.
     So good I bought another one.
    Wow that's an extreme fingerboard radius! My old one was like your #1. Like the body curves on your 'new' one mind. One day I will find another Merlin, as out of all the guitars I've bought and sold over the years I miss that one most. 
    When you say “extreme”, are we talking vintage Fender (7.25”) or something even tighter?

    Personally I love 7.25 for playing chords up towards the headstock end but acknowledge the issues with bending at the other end, and I’ve always wondered why nobody seems to do a compound/conical radius board that goes from 7.25 to (say) 9.5-ish but all the compound radius boards I’ve seen are at the flatter end of the scale.

    Is there some geometrical reason why compound radius doesn’t work for tighter radii?
    They do exist. The Hot Rod 50s Strat of 2013 had a 7.25"-12" radius, and I'm sure I saw a 7.25"-9.5" advertised for sale recently.
    My YouTube channel, Half Speed Solos: classic guitar solos demonstrated at half speed with scrolling tab and no waffle.
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